The Expert's Panel

Topic What are the tools you would use to define a product life cycle?

The Experts Respond

How much pricing pressure are you getting? There is more pricing pressure at different stages. What is the industry capacity of this product? What substitute products are available or coming available? That information should give you an indication of where you are. For example, if substitutes are becoming available you know you are toward the end of your product life cycle. When you find your product is not being adapted in new plants, that is a dead give away that you are on the phase out slope.